In the run-up to baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline, the focus is almost exclusively on the game’s biggest names. We’re fascinated by whispers of negotiations and bidding wars over marquee names and pay little mind to the lower-key players who could play similar roles.
But, as teams are quickly finding out, you’ve got to have a Plan B.
Two of the market’s biggest names, Cliff Lee and Dan Haren, are now off the market. That doesn’t mean the teams that missed out on them are simply giving up on improving their rotations—if they’re smart, they’ll look for other people to fill their open spots.
In this slideshow are 10 fairly uninspiring, yet useful, trade candidates who teams are likely to pursue if they miss out on flashier names, along with who they’d replace and which teams could be interested.
There are reasons why none of the players here are teams’ first choices, but that doesn’t mean these consolation prizes don’t deserve to contribute in the pennant run.